Echinacea plant named ‘Mistral’

ABSTRACT

An  Echinacea  cultivar particularly distinguished by its extremely compact growth, red-purple flowers, very rich flowering due to branched peduncles and strong peduncles, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Echinacea purpurea.

Variety denomination: ‘Mistral’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Mistral’. The new cultivar originatedfrom a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Echinacea purpureacultivar ‘Kim's Knee High’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,242 discovered in2005 in an outdoor nursery of the inventor in Mijdrecht, TheNetherlands.

The new cultivar was discovered in 2005 in Mijdrecht, The Netherlands,and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by tissue culture inSchagen, The Netherlands over a three-year period. The present inventionhas been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughsuccessive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for in theEuropean Union on Oct. 11, 2007. ‘Mistral’ has not been made publiclyavailable more than one year prior to filing of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Schagen, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. Extremely compact growth;    -   2. Red-purple flowers;    -   3. Very rich flowering due to branched peduncles; and    -   4. Strong peduncles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Echinacea plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show overall plant habit including inflorescences, buds, andfoliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photos are of a2-year-old plant grown in a 19-cm pot outdoors in late summer 2007 inMijdrecht, The Netherlands.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit including inflorescences andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows a closer view of the inflorescences.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Mistral’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSchagen, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 2-year-old,un-pinched plants grown in 19-cm pots outdoors during late summer. Therange of daytime temperature was 12° C. to 30° C. and the range ofnight-time temperature was from 5° C. to 15° C. No growth retardantswere used. The color readings were determined under natural light. Colorreferences are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Asteraceae.        -   Botanical name.—Echinacea purpurea.        -   Common name.—Coneflower, echinacea.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Echinacea purpurea    ‘Kim's Knee High’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,242).-   Plant:    -   -   Form and habit.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Broadly upright with flowering            stems growing from the base; grows about 10 cm per month in            the spring.        -   Plant shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Height (from top of soil, including inflorescences).—36.8            cm.        -   Width.—50.0 cm.        -   Vigor.—Moderate to moderately low.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 20 weeks.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use as bedding plants or in            mixed-container plantings; tolerant to temperatures up to            35° C.; hardy to USDA zones 3 or 4.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 6 weeks in winter.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium thickness, light brown and            freely branching; dense roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching.—Basal; no pinching required.        -   Total number of branches.—7.        -   Length.—24.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Internode length.—3.5 cm.        -   Appearance.—Rounded.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—90° (straight up) to 40°.        -   Color.—RHS 144B (Yellow-green); RHS 144A towards the base.        -   Texture.—Stems densely covered with short strigose hairs            Length of hairs: 0.1 cm Color of hairs: RHS 157A to RHS 157D            (Green-white).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Simple and alternate.        -   Shape.—Narrow ovate to lanceolate, moderately carinate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire, undulate.        -   Size.—Length: 11.5 cm Width: 4.0 cm.        -   Immature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137B (Green) Lower            surface: RHS 137C (Green).        -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137A to RHS 137B            (Green) Lower surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-green).        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Slightly glossy, rough to the            touch.        -   Pubescence.—Both sides of leaf and margins moderately            densely covered with short strigose hairs. Length of hairs:            0.03 cm Color of hairs: Ranging from RHS 157A to RHS 157D            (Green-white).        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Vein color.—Upper surface: RHS 150D (Yellow-green) Lower            surface: RHS 145C (Yellow-green).-   Petioles:    -   -   Length.—3.8 cm; petioles shorter towards the tops of the            stem.        -   Diameter.—Petiole is v-shaped; average width is 0.6 cm and            average height is 0.4 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 145B (Yellow-green) with RHS 141A            (Green) margins Lower surface: RHS 145A (Yellow-green) with            RHS 144A (Green) margins.        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Slightly glossy, smooth, but            margins sparsely covered with very short strigose hairs            Length of hairs: 0.03 cm Color of hairs: Ranging from RHS            157A to RHS 157D (Green-white).-   Inflorescence buds:    -   -   Shape.—Flattened globular with immature ray florets pointing            upwards.        -   Length.—2.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.9 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143A to RHS 143B (Green); immature ray florets            RHS N144A to RHS 145A (Yellow-green).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Capitulum.        -   Arrangement.—Terminal capitulae.        -   Shape.—Terminal capitulum consisting of numerous disc            florets, one row of ray florets and three rows of involucral            bracts.        -   Blooming habit.—Continuously flowers from early July to            mid-September.        -   Quantity of open inflorescences per stem.—11.        -   Quantity of buds per stem.—5.        -   Quantity of open inflorescences and buds per plant.—110.        -   Rate of inflorescence opening.—The terminal inflorescence of            a stem opens first, followed by the secondary, tertiary,            etc.        -   Lastingness of the inflorescences on the plant.—About 2            weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Faint sweet fragrance.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: 4.3 cm (excluding peduncle)            Diameter: 6.5 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—1.2 cm.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-cleaning.-   Disc floret:    -   -   Arrangement.—Spirally placed on the disc.        -   Quantity per inflorescence.—320.        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Acute, upper 15% free.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire, upper 15%; lower 85% fused into a tube.        -   Size.—Length: 0.75 cm Diameter: 0.2 cm.        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth, slightly glossy.        -   Color, when opening (both surfaces).—RHS 144C to RHS 144D            (Yellow-green); RHS 144B to RHS 144C (slightly darker            Yellow-green) towards the tip.        -   Color, when fully opened (both surfaces).—Between RHS N144A            to RHS 151A (Yellow-green).-   Ray floret:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rotate.        -   Quantity per inflorescence.—13.        -   Number of whorls.—1.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Aspect.—Downward, average angle 145°.        -   Apex.—Emarginate to praemorse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—General: Smooth, very slightly glossy Upper            surface: Smooth, slightly ribbed lengthwise Lower surface:            Smooth, ribbed lengthwise.        -   Size.—Length: 3.5 cm Width: 1.2 cm.        -   Color, when opening.—Upper surface: RHS 61C (Red-purple)            with colors between RHS 63C to RHS 64D (lighter Red-purple)            towards the tip Lower surface: RHS 63C (Red-purple) with RHS            144A to RHS 144B (Yellow-green) at the tip.        -   Color, when fully opened.—Upper surface: Between RHS 61D to            RHS 64D (Red-purple) with RHS 63C and RHS 63D to RHS 65A            (lighter Red-purple) towards the tip Lower surface: RHS 64D            (Red-purple) with RHS 144A to RHS 144B (Yellow-green) at the            tip.        -   Color, fading to.—Upper surface: RHS 70C to RHS 70D            (Red-purple) Lower surface: RHS 70C (Red-purple) with RHS            143C to RHS 144A (Yellow-green) tip and central band.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length, terminal peduncle.—21.3 cm.        -   Length, fourth peduncle.—17.8 cm.        -   Length, seventh peduncle.—17.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Aspect/angle.—Straight on top of flowering stem.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Slightly rough to the touch; moderately covered            with short strigose hairs Length of hairs: 0.05 cm Color of            hairs: Ranging from RHS 157A to RHS 157D (Green-white).        -   Color.—RHS 144A to RHS 144B (Yellow-green).-   Bracts:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rotate, placed in three rows.        -   Number of bracts per inflorescence.—40.        -   Appearance.—Dull, tough.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate, curved towards the peduncle.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth Lower surface and margins:            Densely covered with short hairs Length of hairs: 0.05 cm            Color of hairs: Ranging from RHS 157A to RHS 157D            (Green-white).        -   Size.—Length: 0.7 cm Width: 0.15 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 141A (Green) Lower surface: RHS            137A with RHS 143D (Light-green) at the base.-   Receptacles:    -   -   Shape.—Triangular.        -   Size.—Height: 0.8 cm Diameter: 0.6 cm Color: RHS 155A            (White).        -   Receptacle spines.—Number of spines per disc: 320 Shape:            Acicular Apex: Acute Base: Attenuate Texture: Smooth, glossy            Color: Apex: RHS N30A (Red) Mid-section: RHS 24A (Orange)            Base: RHS 144B (Yellow-green).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Location: Present on disc florets only Stamens:            Number: 5, per floret Filament length: 0.25 cm Filament            color: RHS 145C (Yellow-green) Anther shape: Basifixed            Anther length: 0.3 cm Anther color: RHS N200A (Brown) Pollen            color: RHS 17A (Yellow-orange) Pollen amount: Moderate to            high.        -   Gynoecium.—Location: Present on ray and disc florets Number:            One per floret Pistil length: 0.6 cm Stigma color: RHS 53A            (Red) Stigma shape: Decurrent Style color: RHS 42D (Red)            Style length: 0.4 cm        -   Ovary color.—RHS 145D (Yellow-green).-   Fruit and seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Average/typical of the species; no    special observations made.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Mistral’ differs from the parent ‘Kim's Knee High’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,242) in that ‘Mistral’ has more flowers per plant than ‘Kim's KneeHigh’. In addition, ‘Mistral’ has yellow-green disc florets while ‘Kim'sKnee High’ has purple to greyed-purple disc florets.

‘Mistral’ differs from the cultivar ‘Fatal Attraction’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 18,429) in that ‘Mistral’ has a smaller plant habit and shorterstems. In addition, ‘Mistral’ has different colored ray and disc floretsthan ‘Fatal Attraction’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, as shown anddescribed herein.